The Golden State Warriors’ 104-93 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series ended in a heated postgame confrontation between Warriors forward Draymond Green and Rockets guard Jalen Green. The altercation required teammates and staff to step in and separate the two players.
As players were leaving the court at Chase Center, Jalen Green reportedly initiated the confrontation, approaching Draymond Green. Green, never one to back down, responded with verbal jabs, including a taunt referencing Jalen’s past habit of painting his nails—a dig that was caught on camera and quickly circulated on social media. The exchange escalated to the point where teammates from both sides had to intervene to prevent further escalation.
“GO PAINT YOUR NAILS”
Draymond to Jalen Green 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/AyYcJmlcwY
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) April 27, 2025
This isn’t the first time the two Greens have clashed during the series. In Game 2, Jalen Green delivered an elbow to Draymond’s face, which was later upgraded to a flagrant foul after official review. The tension between the two players has been building, and their postgame confrontation in Game 3 has only intensified the rivalry.
Draymond Green, known for his fiery personality and ability to get under opponents’ skin, brushed off the incident when asked about it by reporters.
“Yeah, the game was over. Doesn’t matter,” he said,
downplaying the significance of the altercation. Jalen Green, however, was less diplomatic, taking a direct shot at Draymond during his postgame comments.
“Just talking. He can’t really do much of anything else, so talking is his only way,” Jalen remarked.
Jalen Green on the exchange with Draymond:
“Just talking. He can’t really do much of anything else, so talking is his only way.”
🍿👀. (via @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 27, 2025
Statistically, both players had relatively quiet performances in Game 3. Draymond finished with seven points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while Jalen contributed nine points, six rebounds, and five assists. Despite the drama, the Warriors’ victory gave them a 2-1 lead in the series, with Steph Curry leading the charge with 28 points.
